THE IRON FIST IN THE VELVET GLOVE - MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION IN JAPANESE MANUFACTURING TRANSPLANTS IN WALES

This paper assesses the transferability of a Japanese form of manufact uring organization to an alien institutional environment - the Princip ality of Wales in the UK. After characterizing what we mean by a 'Japa nese form of manufacturing organization' and the arrival of Japanese c ompanies in Wales, we describe the forms bf organization, day-to-day m anagement and working practices which have been established. Our concl usion is that the Japanese form of manufacturing organization has been re-created on Welsh soil, and that any 'adaptations' are not such as to alter the fundamental features of the new organizational form.